Effects of Community Linkages in the School Performance of Selected Economically Challenged Pupils in San Rafael Elementary School, Philippines

Imelda R. Razo, Ed.D.

Background of the Study

The question of quality which seeks achievement of high school performance rate is always been a highlighting mark that resolves direction and utmost plans among educational forums, consultations and assemblies. This national goal of earning quality education has been a winding issue and been in a long run of many administrators for years, yet remained unrested (Aquino, 2012).

The dormancy of said state educational instruction, particularly among suburb barangay schools which considered this time as casualties of timeworn technology and obsolete school resources, is traced as relevant ground for improvement. Department of Education (DepEd) prompted initial responses like Brigada Eskwela, Gulayan sa Paaralan and the like community linkages to augment self sufficiency in local resources while sufficing the supplements in the gap of governments provision.

The linkages of the schools in its respective communities for support have proven to be effective in a way. The National Achievement Test Result for Elementary grades has been significantly improved up to 32% in the start of implementation of these school-community work based programs (Lapuz, 2007). It had also affected various factors in the school landscape which one good angle to explore is the drastic effect of it to economically challenged pupils (Delos Santos, 2010).

Statistics showed that 7 out of every 10 pupils in the barangay schools of the archipelago are in line of poverty. This is a revealing truth that poverty is rampant in the country enough to suffocate the potentials among young hopes of the generation though basic educational resources deprivation. In an international consultative meeting with the United Nations recently, it was renounced that mobilization of the communities particularly of developing countries, the immediate surrounding the institutions, for significant contribution can be that fair square to consolidate an over all scheme progress. The UN secretary for International Educational Sectors further cited that it is like hitting two birds at a time. One has to extend help (the community) so later everyone (the school) would be of help, all gearing towards a progress.

In view of this riveting fact, the researcher believed that views in this seeming solution should start at a microscopic level. Hence, the feasibility of success can be best prescribed through having it in schools where like programs are emulated. Depicted in some greenbelt schools in Africa, the Philippines should have also its stand and make a try to get everyone involve in the issue of reaching the unreached.

Anchored from above presented data, this case study is formulated. Its general objective is to see the effects of community linkages in the school performance of selected economically challenged pupils in San Rafael Elementary School, Philippines. Specifically it aimed to unleash the concrete evidences of the effects in terms of the number of absences, scores in quizzes and periodic examinations and primary health indicators; and, make an administrative definite action to reinforce the linkages for the goals aligned in the Department of Education.